Hamster Cages
These days when you go looking for a hamster cage you will be confronted by all sorts of different contraptions that you can use to house your pet hamster in. Gone are the days when the only option to house a small pet was a rectangular wire cage, now we have much more inventive homes for your pet hamsters.
If you chose a wire cage, be sure to check how the wire secures to the plastic bottom of the cage, if there are any weaknesses or gaps your hamster will find a way to escape. This especially applies to the Russian hamsters as they are smaller in size than a normal Syrian hamster and the cages are built with the Syrian hamsters in mind.
Check how strong the cage door is, can it be opened easily, do you think your hamster could open the door? It is a good idea to invest in a small padlock that you can use to lock the cage doors, especially doors on the side of the cage as opposed to the doorway in the roof and the hinges can get weak over time. Get a combination padlock as you can open them by knowing the combination and you don’t have to look after another key.
All cages should have a sleeping area and should be kitted out with the correct bedding for your hamster; any bedding that would be harmful if swallowed should not be used. Good hamster bedding can be purchased from your local pet store or as hamsters are so popular now, in your local supermarket. Before you put the bedding inside the hamster cage, tease it out with your hand so your hamster can easily burrow into it.
You can also opt to get sectional housing for your hamster, this can be a lot more exciting for them as it gives them the opportunity to climb and explore. The layouts mimic the kind of burrows that hamsters would have in the wild, usually with a tunnel section that leads of to the sleeping area where they would have a nest and all their bedding. If you chose hamster sectional housing then you can start small and gradually build up with extra sections. These section houses or tubular housing systems provide great security for your hamster as opposed to a standard cage; you should always check the plastics on the housing thoroughly as hamsters can still nibble away at it to try to escape.